Dillon joins Paul Menard, who drives the No. 27 with Richard Slugger Labbe as crew chief, and Ryan Newman, who drives the No. 31 with Luke Lambert as crew chief, as full time drivers with RCR.

Gil Martin will serve as crew chief for the No. 3 and Dillon. Martin led Kevin Harvick to six Chase berths.

Dow and Cheerios will sponsor Dillon and the No. 3.

Dillon said:

My grandfather and everyone at RCR have done a great job of not pushing me too quickly into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. I feel like I’ve been able to spend adequate time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series preparing for this next step in my career. I am thrilled to be making this move with partners like Dow and Cheerios, along with some long-time partners who have supported me and RCR throughout my career. I am truly grateful and looking forward to this opportunity.

Dillon’s first race — the Daytona 500 — will be the first time that the No. 3 will be used in Sprint Cup competition since 2001, when Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a last-lap crash during that year’s Daytona 500.

]]>http://lead-lap.com/2013/12/02/dillon-to-drive-cup-in-no-3/feed/0Historical NASCAR Content Now Available On iTuneshttp://lead-lap.com/2010/07/13/historical-nascar-content-now-available-on-itunes/
http://lead-lap.com/2010/07/13/historical-nascar-content-now-available-on-itunes/#commentsTue, 13 Jul 2010 19:09:20 +0000http://lead-lap.com/?p=3735NASCAR Media Group and NASCAR.com announced that classic races and historical content is now available for download on iTunes. The first installment of content highlights the current NASCAR Hall of Fame class, including Dale Earnhardt, Junion Johnson, and Richard Petty.

Jay Abraham, COO of NASCAR Media Group said:

We are offering our fans a unique look back at some of the greatest races of all time, biggest legends of our sport and most historical moments ever captured on the racetrack. There has been a renewed interest in the history of the sport since the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame this past May, and we’re thrilled to be offering our fans a look back at some of the moments that helped transform this sport into the No. 2 spectator sport in the country.

]]>http://lead-lap.com/2010/07/13/historical-nascar-content-now-available-on-itunes/feed/0JRM, RCR, DEI Team Up To Honor Earnhardt Srhttp://lead-lap.com/2010/04/29/jrm-rcr-dei-team-up-to-honor-earnhardt-sr/
http://lead-lap.com/2010/04/29/jrm-rcr-dei-team-up-to-honor-earnhardt-sr/#commentsThu, 29 Apr 2010 21:46:08 +0000http://lead-lap.mikejsmith.net/?p=2959Dale Earnhardt Jr’s JR Motorsports will team up with Dale Earnhardt Inc and Richard Childress Racing to pay tribute to Dale Earnhardt’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame by fielding the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series race on July 2 at Daytona International Speedway to be driven by Earnhardt Jr.

The car will be a JRM Chevy, meaning the chassis and engine will come from Hendrick Motorsports, which provides chassis and engines for JRM, but it will be listed as an RCR entry.

Dale Jr said:

This was an idea that came up as a way to pay tribute to my dad, and it’s pretty cool that it’s a collaborative effort between JR Motorsports, RCR and DEI. The Wrangler car is definitely in the top-10 of coolest cars that have ever been on the race track. A lot of people identify with it, and I can’t think of a better way to honor my dad and celebrate his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame than to bring the Wrangler colors back with the No. 3 on the side, similar to the ‘Wrangler Jean Machine’ scheme of the 80s. I think it will be worth seeing, and I’m looking forward to driving it at Daytona.

Childress added:

Bringing this group of people and these organizations together is the best way I can think of to honor Dale Earnhardt’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Dale means so much to all of us, as well as his fans across the country and throughout the world. We created a special piece of history together in 2002 and, with Wrangler back on board the No. 3 Chevrolet at Daytona; we look to make some more history in July. I know the fans will love it and much as we all will.

Once the car hits the track in July, it’s sure to stir up some emotions. Before this year, no car adorning the No. 3 had been fielded in NASCAR’s top three series since 2002, when Dale Earnhardt Jr drove the No. 3 to victory at Daytona in July.

Up to this point, however, no driver has fielded a car with both the No. 3 and a sponsor that appeared on one of Dale Sr’s Chevys. In July, Dale Jr will drive the No. 3 with the Wrangler Jean Machine scheme Dale Sr made popular during the 80s. For some, seeing that car circle the track at Daytona is sure to bring up memories of the Intimidator. It should be an emotional day.

]]>http://lead-lap.com/2010/04/29/jrm-rcr-dei-team-up-to-honor-earnhardt-sr/feed/1DEI's Fall From Gracehttp://lead-lap.com/2009/04/14/deis-fall-from-grace/
http://lead-lap.com/2009/04/14/deis-fall-from-grace/#commentsTue, 14 Apr 2009 13:51:47 +0000http://lead-lap.mikejsmith.net/?p=971Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s decision to park its famed No. 8 Chevy is a sign of the economic times we’re in. But, it is also a sign of just how far the team has fallen.

And while I don’t know the reasons for some of the business decisions being made by Teresa Earnhardt, I suspect that pride and stubborness are leading to the mismanagement of the company that Dale Earnhardt Sr built.

Since Sr’s death, Teresa hasn’t had much interest in the sport, often skipping appearances at the track. She’s been called an absentee owner on several occasions.

She let pride get in the way when Dale Earnhardt Jr made his highly publicized bid for ownership in the company. Jr frequently complained that DEI was doing nothing to keep up with the competition. He contended that the team was not purchasing new technology that would help performance, and that the team was not expanding, despite being too big for its shop in N.C.

Teresa was so stubborn and arrogant that she let NASCAR’s most popular driver walk away, and expected the team to survive.

She wouldn’t even let Jr take with him the number he put back on the map. I can understand that the No. 8 has sentimental value to DEI, but it’s not like Jr and Rick Hendrick made an unreasonable offer. I think they also would have agreed to return the number, when Jr was finished with it. But, Teresa went out of her way to ensure that they would not get the number by seeking a percentage of licensing revenue.

Sadly, things will not improve until Teresa gives up control of the company, or she stops letting foolish pride and personal reason influence business decisions.

]]>http://lead-lap.com/2009/04/14/deis-fall-from-grace/feed/1Earnhardts To Drive For RWRhttp://lead-lap.com/2009/03/25/earnhardts-to-drive-for-rwr/
http://lead-lap.com/2009/03/25/earnhardts-to-drive-for-rwr/#commentsWed, 25 Mar 2009 04:43:23 +0000http://lead-lap.mikejsmith.net/?p=906Rick Ware Racing has announced that Kerry and Jeffrey Earnhardt will drive its Chevys for several races this Nationwide season.

Kerry is the son of the seven-time Sprint Cup champion, and half-brother of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeffrey is the grandson of Dale Sr.

RWR fields that No. 31 and No. 41 Chevys in the series. The No. 31 will be the focus of the team, with the No. 41 running on a part time basis.

Jeffrey was, and still is, a developmental driver for Dale Earnhardt Inc. DEI and RWR formed an alliance, and DEI will provide some Chevys to RWR.

Jeffrey is slated to drive at Dover International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Watkins Glen International, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Michigan International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Jeffrey may also race at Iowa Speedway and Auto Club Speedway, but those would have to be switched for other races to keep Jeffrey eligible for Rookie of the Year in 2010.

Kerry Earnhardt will run “several” races for the team, making his debut with the team at Texas Motor Speedway. He is also expected to run at Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta.

]]>http://lead-lap.com/2009/03/25/earnhardts-to-drive-for-rwr/feed/0Columnist Seeks To Squash Debate Whether Driver = Athletehttp://lead-lap.com/2008/08/22/columnist-seeks-to-squash-debate-whether-driver-athlete/
http://lead-lap.com/2008/08/22/columnist-seeks-to-squash-debate-whether-driver-athlete/#commentsFri, 22 Aug 2008 23:42:38 +0000http://lead-lap.mikejsmith.net/?p=472ESPN features a column written by Ed Hinton that seeks to squash the debate, once and for all, as to whether drivers are athletes.

Hinton asserts that drivers are not athletes, but in the end says it does not matter.

Instead, Hinton takes issue with the people who would argue that auto racing is not a sport.

He writes:

I’ve often wondered just when and how the American public’s definition of ‘sport’ narrowed so radically to ‘athletics.’ If anybody bothered to pay attention to Webster anymore, they’d find under ‘sport,’ 1. A source of diversion: PASTIME.

He also points to an Ernest Hemingway quote: There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering, all the others being games.

Hinton concludes:

Having had to cover the deaths of [Nigel] Mansell’s archrival in [Formula 1], Ayrton Senna, and his best friend in NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt, I am certain of this: Motor racing is no game.

This column is definitely worth the read, but I somehow doubt it will end the debate.

Sure Busch is on one heck of a tear this season, visiting Victory Lane seven times in the Sprint Cup. He’s got 14 wins in all three major series and is on pace to win around 12 races in the Sprint Cup series alone, this season.

But, come on. To put his name in with the likes of past champions and legends is ridiculous. I’ll say it again, it’s ridiculous!

Don’t get me wrong, Busch has phenominal talent. He’s capable of winning a championship this season, and in some ways, it’s his championship to lose at this point. But, that doesn’t make the kid a legend.

How can you compare a guy in his third year to a seven-time champion? You can’t. Well, you can, but it would be absolutely ridiculous.

You know what makes legends? Being a consistent top performer, not one hot season. Now, no one knows what next season will bring, but let’s give Busch time to prove he’s a legend before we start calling him one.

]]>http://lead-lap.com/2008/07/16/busch-legend-ridiculous/feed/1Dale Jr. Speaks On Sr.’s Deathhttp://lead-lap.com/2008/05/08/dale-jr-speaks-on-srs-death/
http://lead-lap.com/2008/05/08/dale-jr-speaks-on-srs-death/#commentsThu, 08 May 2008 02:37:12 +0000http://lead-lap.mikejsmith.net/?p=25ESPN The Magazine is featuring a cover story on Dale Earnhardt Jr. in which he opens up about his father’s death, his relationship with Rick Hendrick and his stepmother, Teresa.

It’s a very interesting and I recommend it.

An excerpt:

When my dad died, I was numb, blind. … I just kept moving. Going. Doing. It was horrible. The further away from it I get, the more I understand how I went through it. If you go back to 2002, 2003, it was still rotten on my mind. It was still bothering me and hard to explain. I didn’t talk about it because it wasn’t something I wanted to preach—’Oh, I lost my daddy, woe is me, and I gotta go through life without him.’ I didn’t want that message .